Lockable tuck-flap envelop.



R. J. McBREEN.

LOCKABLE TUCK FLAP ENVELOP.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I4, 1918.

1,588 l fila Patented Oct. 15, 1918..

ATTORNEY AE FFIQ,

RAYMOND J. MOBREEN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

LOCKABL'E [DUCK-FLAP ENVELOP.

Application filed March 14, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RAYMOND J. Mo- BRnnN, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lockable Tuck Flap Envelops, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to produce a mailing envelop of the type indicated, that will permit easy opening and re-closing, for inspection by postal authorities, and one in which the interlocked flaps are concealed and protected by the foldable sealing flap.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof and illustrating the principle of the invention in the best mode now known to me,

Figure 1 is a back view of the preferred form of the invention, showing the gummed sealing flap open; and

Figs. 2 and 3 are each a back plan view of slightly differing forms of the invention.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a portion of a tongues flap and of a portion of the therewith interlockable tuck flap, the parts being spaced apart further to illustrate the con struction shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is the front panel of an ordinary mailing envelop, 2 its gummed folding and sealing flap, 3 and 4 its back end flaps, and 5 its intermediate back flap. The margins of flaps 3 and 5 are overlapped and permanently gummed together in the usual way. The margin 6 of that end of flap 5 which is adjacent the lock able tuck flap 4 overlaps the margin 7 of the tuck flap 4, and such overlapping man gins are ungummed. The margin 7 of flap 5 has near its upper, outward edge a projecting tongue 8 that is recessed and slit at 9 from its under edge upwardly and rearwardly of the free end or head Portion 10. The upper edge of the flap 4 inwardly of the outward end of flap 4 has a downwardly-extending slit 11. The tongue slit 9 and the flap slit 11 are located so that the tongue and flap 4 can be detachably locked together by passing the slits 9 and 11 one into the other and permitting the neck of the tongue between its head and main portion to pass through the flap slit 11 with the main portion of the tongue on one side and the head of the tongue on the other side of flap 4. The tongue 8 is dimensioned Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 15, 1918.

Serial No. 222,309.

and located so that the tongue and the interlock of the tongue with the tuck flap slit 11 are wholly concealed when the sealing flap 2 is sealed; the sealed envelop then having the appearance of containing personal correspondence and not advertising matter for which thisclass of envelops is specially intended. The interlocked flaps are thus not only concealed when the sealing flap is sealed in place, but are by the sealed flap maintained in the flatwise interlocked position. The gum 12 on the sealing flap extends only part way along the margin thereof, being omitted along that margin of the sealing flap which, when the sealing flap is sealed, becomes opposed to the tongue 8 and the tuck flap 4. Consequently, the sealed envelop has its sealing flap adhesively united to the flaps 3 and 5 eXclusively of the locking tongue and tuck flap; and when, and if, inspection is desired by the postal authorities, a finger can be inserted under the unsealed margin of the sealed sealing flap and the tuck flap to detach the locking members one from another and withdraw the tuck flap for inspection of the contents of the envelop; and after inspection the tuck flap can be restored to place and the uncoupled locking members manipulated to interlock them. The gummed area for adhesively uniting flaps 3 and 5 is indicated by 13.

In Fig. 2 I show the locking tongue 8 as a part of the flap 4, and the slit 9 to receive it in the edge of the flap 5, the reverse of the form shown in Fig. 1. In Fig. 3 the tongue-receiving slit 11 is formed not in the margin of the flap 4 but bodily through it. Other forms of the invention may be devised.

The advantages of the interlock are that only two paper parts are required to produce it; and that the sealing flap when sealed helps to hold the interlocked members together and protects and conceals them, the latter being a very desirable feature commercially considered. At the same time, the detachable interlock can be readily manipulated by the postal authorities for inspection and relocking to keep the contents from falling out.

When this envelop is being filled, the tuck fiap and intermediate back flap can be kept interlocked and all three back flaps opened away from the front panel. Th s is a highly convenient feature of the inventlon.

No prior tuck flap envelop, so far as I know, provides for an interlock of the tuck and an adjacent flap.

hen the flaps 3 and 5 are gummed together and the flaps 4 and 5 are locked togetheiythe envelop forms a pocket closed at its bottom and twoends as is requisite for rapid filling of the envelop; and when, as according to common custom in large op erations, the sealing flaps are moistened and closed by apparatus in which the filled'envelops are pushed along on their lower edges, the sealing flap 2 is the only one to be sealed, just as in the case of an ordinary envelop.

WVhat I claim is,-

An envelop having a front panel; a gummed sealing flap; back end flaps and an intermediate back flap; one end flap and the intermediate back flap having overlap; ping united margins, and the gummed area on the sealing flap being dimensioned to make sealing adhesion with the united end and intermediate back flaps exclusively, the

other end flap being a tuck flap and the tuck flap and the intermediate flap being each provided. with an interlocking member for detachably coupling the tuck fiap with the intermediate flap; said interlocking flaps being located to be covered by the sealing flap vwhen it is sealed; and the ungummed area of the sealing flap margins being located to cover said tongue without union thereto and to maintain the interlocked portions in flatwise relation one to the otherytwo of the back flaps being gummed together, and one of such gummed flaps being provided with a locking member, and the tuck flap being provided with a locking member whereby all the back flaps are connected to form a pocket which is closed except at its top for reception of filling material prior to sealing of the gummed sealing flap.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 25th day of February, 1918.

RAYMOND J. MGBREEN.

Copies of this patent'may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

